BY BECCA JONES
Realtor
Los Alamos County

Several years ago, I attended a county meeting at SALA focused on housing and other community projects. At that meeting, a county representative shared data suggesting that the greatest housing need in Los Alamos County was for homes priced below $400,000 (agree!) and in the $650,000 to $750,000 (don’t fully agree) range.

I asked where that data came from. The answer was the same source local Realtors use: the Multiple Listing Service. The MLS is an important tool. It shows what is listed, what has sold, and many details about those transactions. But sales data tells us who was able to purchase a home not necessarily who is still searching, unable to compete, or has given up looking altogether.

As a local Realtor working directly with buyers, I see a significant need that is easy to miss when we look only at closed sales. Many people who grew up here want to remain here. They love this community, work here, and want to raise their families here, but they may not have a direct connection to Los Alamos National Laboratory or the salary that can make today’s home prices more manageable.

For many of these families, the realistic price range is approximately $350,000 to $400,000. When a reasonably maintained home in that range comes on the market, it often creates a feeding frenzy: back-to-back showings followed by four, five, or six offers for the seller to consider.

Too often, the successful buyer is someone who could afford more but chooses to compete in the lower price range. They may have more cash available, can offer above asking price, or can waive contingencies that make their offer more attractive. Meanwhile, buyers who are truly capped at $350,000 or $400,000 cannot compete in the same way. They may be using down-payment assistance or loan programs such as MFA, FHA, USDA, HUD, or other financing options that involve additional requirements. Those programs can be essential tools for working families, but their offers may be viewed as less favorable in a multiple-offer situation.

These buyers also face another difficult choice. A lower-priced home often needs updates or repairs, yet families who have saved enough to qualify for a mortgage may not have thousands of additional dollars available for immediate repairs, or for an unexpected expense such as a failed water heater after closing. They cannot spend every dollar they have just to make their offer competitive, because they may need that money to make the home safe, functional, and livable.

Short-term housing is certainly necessary for summer students, visiting researchers, and contractors who may be here for a few months or a year and a half. Apartment housing has a role in meeting those needs. But apartments alone are not a complete answer to Los Alamos’ housing challenge.

There is also a large and often quiet group of residents who want stable, long-term housing for their families: a safe, well-maintained home with a payment comparable to or less than what they currently pay in rent. For many, that means a modest single-family home, duplex, or fourplex, not necessarily a large new apartment complex.

I recently learned that subsidies may be available through the county to builders and investors who create affordable housing. These programs could potentially help produce housing in the price range that local working families can afford. I was also told that no one has applied for those subsidies. If that is the case, it represents an opportunity we should actively pursue.

We need to do more to market Los Alamos to investors and builders, including those from outside our community. Why should private investment come here? What opportunities are available? What can the county do to make it easier and more attractive for individuals and private investors to participate in creating the housing we need?

The solution cannot always be limited to county, state, or federal assistance. Public programs are important, but there are also people and businesses with capital to invest. Sometimes they simply need to understand the demand, the available incentives, and the opportunity to make a positive and sustainable investment in Los Alamos.

I applaud the people who are already working to increase housing in our community, and I appreciate the effort they have put into addressing a complicated problem. At the same time, I believe there is more to be done. We need a housing strategy that includes attainable ownership opportunities, not only rental units, and that recognizes the silent population of local residents who are being overlooked: people who want to stay, contribute, put down roots, and build a future in Los Alamos.